joint chambers in a changing world and a new strategy for the arab – swiss chamber dr. imad shehab...

JOINT CHAMBERSIN A CHANGING WORLD

ANDA NEW STRATEGY FOR

THE ARAB – SWISS CHAMBER

Dr. Imad ShehabSecretary General

General Union of Arab Chambers

April 2010

JOINT CHAMBERS IN A CHANGING WORLDA. EXTERNAL PRESSURES:

1. Globalization → the need to think globally and act locally.

2. Recent International Crisis → Lower trade and its financing → pressures on document certification.

3. WTO Development → More Trade Freedom → pressures on document certification.

4. Recent Trade Protectionism → pressures on exports and imports → pressures on document certification.

5. Regional Integration → regional satisfaction on the fronts of exports and imports → lower cross-border regional trade → pressures on document certification.

6. Knowledge Economy → the need to provide e-services to members.

7. Need for local and cross-border cooperation → better repositioning in domestic and foreign markets → better role.

8. Competition from local similar institutions.

B. INTERNAL PRESURES:

1. Need for restructuring and reengineering on the administrative, financial and operational levels.

2. Better human capital and better technology → modern chamber.

3. robust diversification and enhancement of activities and income → better financial safety and sustainability → more and better services to members.

4. Need for better harmony and understanding within the chamber → Chairman, Secretary General, Board, Executive Committee, General Assembly.

5. Need for better cooperation with all stakeholders of the chambers:• Internal bodies.• External bodies (members, Union of Arab Chambers, League of Arab

States, Arab Ambassadors…etc).6. Necessity of sound and rational corporate governance within the Chamber.

7. Need for creating and innovating new ideas, mechanisms, and services to members.

JOINT CHAMBERS IN A CHANGING WORLD

ACHIEVEMENTS AFTER 4 DECADES AND MORE

A. ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE:

Promoting economic relations between Arab countries and host countries.

B. SO-FAR ACHIEVEMENTS:

1. Possessing good headquarters in key international capitals.2. Attracting local companies, and also Arab companies but at a lesser

extent as members.3. Good reputation and connections in their areas.4. Supporting, partially, the work of Arab embassies.5. Contributing to the formation of mutual business contacts and

relationships (trade, investment and cultural).6. Servicing its members in reaching new markets and businessmen.7. Providing information about markets and companies.8. Arranging economic delegations and trade fairs.9. Organizing seminars, forums and conferences joining Arab and foreign

businessmen.

C. VARYING ROLES:

1. Small Chambers.2. Larger Chambers.3. Accumulated experience.4. Local and regional ties.5. Significance of host country to Arab countries.6. Existing potentials (human resources, technology, finance).7. Relationship with the General Union of Arab Chambers,

League of Arab States, and Arab Ambassadors.8. Support from member companies.9. Visionary Leadership and Effective Management.10. Good Governance.


D. FURTHER EMPOWERMENT OF ROLE:1. Effective contribution to mutual trade exchanges.2. Effective contribution to mutual investment exchanges.3. Technology transfer.4. Enhancement of Arab exports.5. Involvement in agreements' establishment, development and

modification.6. Better coordination and cooperation with local Arab chambers

and unions.7. Mutual investment projects in Arab and host countries.8. Better role in identifying and disseminating investment and

trade opportunities.9. Better role in identifying and disseminating legislations and

laws, and economic developments in host and Arab countries.10.Better role in recycling Arab capital and human capital abroad.11.Better coordination and cooperation between these chambers.


E-CHAMBERS OR PHYSICAL CHAMBERS

A. E-WORLD IS EVOLVING:1. E-Commerce.2. E-Banking.3. E-Investing.→ The need to go electronic.

B. E-CHAMBERS:1. Transformation into complete virtual chambers.2. Better, effective and timely services to members.3. Stages:

3-1 Establishment of an effective website to provide comprehensive updated and accurate information.

3-2 Making the website interactive.3-3 Automation of transactions and operations, and e-management of

activities and services.3-4 full transformation into a virtual chamber.

C. PHYSICAL E-CHAMBERS:

1. Physical location is important.

2. E-Services is good.

3. Development of E-Signatures on trade transactions.

4. Physical services are crucial.

→ A hybrid model is much better.

E-CHAMBERS OR PHYSICAL CHAMBERS

REHABILITATION & MODERNIZATION OF CHAMBERS

A. CREATING THE APPROPRIATE TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE:

1. Introducing up-to-date technology in internal activities.

2. Technical readiness of human resources.

B. LAUNCHING AND DEVELOPING E-SERVICES:

1. E-information delivery channels.

2. E-Services.

3. Effective E-interaction with members.

C.ACTIVITY DEVELOPMENT

1.Members' Services:

1-1 Meeting Demand for economic information, fastly and effectively.1-2 Referral centers for members and non-members for market acquaintance and feasibility studies.1-3 Organization of specialized seminars which meet demands of businessmen and investors, and skills development sessions.1-4 Facilitating the movement of businessmen and investors in both directions.


C.ACTIVITY DEVELOPMENT

2. Marketing Services:

2-1 Providing information and conducting research geared towards developing Arab exports to international markets.

2-2 Providing information about companies, sectoral classification, laws and legislations, financial rules, auctions and tenders, business opportunities, fairs, activities and others.

2-3 Launching business directories, trade directories and investment directories.

2-4 disseminating information about trade offers and auctions.2-5 Organizing trade fairs or participating in local, Arab and

international ones.


C.ACTIVITY DEVELOPMENT (Continued)

3. Investment Services:

3-1 Encouraging the establishment of mutual projects, which allow the transfer of modern technologies to Arab markets.

3-2 Encouraging the flow of FDI to Arab markets.

3-3 Identifying investment opportunities in Arab countries and creating feasible mutual investment projects.


C.ACTIVITY DEVELOPMENT (Continued)4. Supporting Decision making of Economic Policies:

4-1 Providing information to the board of directors to assist it in strengthening the chamber's role in influencing the economic policies in host countries in issues related to mutual economic relations.

4-2 Promoting the role of the chamber as an important reference for host countries in consultancy related to mutual economic relations.

4-3 Providing guidance and assistance to Arab businessmen and investors to acquaint them with the new rules governing global economic relations.


C.ACTIVITY DEVELOPMENT (Continued)

5. Sectoral – Technological Development Services:

5-1 Providing technical services (support services) to SMEs.

5-2 Cooperating with local foreign chambers in safeguarding the establishment of mutual technological incubators in Arab countries.

5-3 Providing technical and professional consultancy services related to IT introduction according to the needs of the business sector.


C. ACTIVITY DEVELOPMENT (Continued)

6. Information Services:

6-1 Supporting the creation of information data banks in Joint Chambers.

6-2 Cooperating with other information centers inside the host country and in the Arab region to support the development of internal information data banks.

6-3 Setting in place an appropriate electronic mechanism to store, retrieve, and use the accumulated information, with continuous upgrading.

6-4 Equipping the self website with global information, and creating appropriate link with all stakeholders and others.



7. Educational Services:

7-1 Cooperation with local chambers in the organization of training seminars for human resources in Arab chambers to acquaint them with the recent developments in these chambers, and modern business making in the respective companies.

7-2 Organizing technical training sessions in host countries for Arab human resources and technical institutes to develop their knowledge and experience.

7-3 Providing scholarship and financial aid for Arab human resources studying at foreign universities and institutes, thus developing on Arab generation specialized in Arab-business relations and cultural exchange.

7-4``Setting a plan for information development and employee rehabilitation in the field of modern technology and systems.

7-5 Organizing training courses and workshops aimed at raising the level of IT awareness for the business sector.

7-6 Encouraging partnership programs between the business sector and educational institutions in host countries with the Arab countries to develop applied educational technology in Arab countries, and mutual research programs in both directions.



8. Tourism Services:

8-1 Providing information about tourism in host and Arab countries, and encouraging tourism in home countries.

8-2 Organizing specialized seminars on available opportunities on tourism sector and means for strengthening mutual cooperation in this field.



9. Media Services:

9-1 Organizing Arab media days in conjunction with media bodies in host and Arab countries to acquaint with real economic developments and business opportunities in both directions.

9-2 Safeguarding a positive image-building on the cultural, human, and economic levels about Arab countries.

9-3 Developing the role of Joint Chambers as economic media platforms for Arab embassies.


D. STRENGTHENING FINANCES:

1. Decreasing certifications → high vulnerability to local, regional, and international developments.

2. Activity development as mentioned above → income diversification and enhancement.

3. The need to focus on services fees and not income from certification.

4. The need to attract more and more members and hence memberships fees.


THE SWISS-ARAB CHAMBER

A. VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT

To be an effective chamber, even though it is small, in playing a key and growing role in the development of economic, trade, investment, and cultural relations and exchanges between Switzerland and the Arab countries.

B. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:

1. Strengthening mutual trade relations.

2. Promoting mutual investment exchanges.

3. Enhancing Arab exports to international markets.

4. Supporting the transfer of modern technologies and expertise from international markets to Arab countries.

5. Safeguarding, continuously, a positive image-building about Arab economies.

C. SERVICE DIVERSIFICATION:

1. Trade Services.

2. Investment Services.

3. Marketing Services.

4. Technological Services.

5. Information and Research Services.

6. Educational Services.

7. Media Services.


D. EFFECTIVE TOOLS:

1. Publication of a monthly magazine specialized in mutual economic relations.

2. Publication of trade, investment, and business directories and guides.

3. Organization of trade and economic delegations in both directions.

4. Organization of training and specialized workshops, seminars and symposiums.

5. Organization of an annual economic forum gathering Arab and Swiss businessmen aimed at creating new mutual business opportunities and projects.

6. Providing research services such as feasibility studies for investment projects, and marketing studies in both directions.


D. EFFECTIVE TOOLS: (Continued)

7. Providing advisory services regarding public (government) auctions, tenders, and offers, which would attract companies wishing to expand in Swiss or Arab markets.

8. Identification of export, trade, and investment opportunities in Switzerland and Arab countries.

9. Developing information networks in the Chamber to enhance services to members, to promote exports and attract investments.

10. Organization of trade and economic fairs in both directions.11. Coordination and cooperation with local and Arab chambers.12. Encouraging mutual investment projects in both directions.13. Gradually transforming into an E-physical chamber.


Thank You

joint chambers in a changing world and a new strategy for the arab – swiss chamber dr. imad shehab...

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